Maidstone have reached the FA Cup fourth round for the first time in their history after a stunning upset win against Stevenage.

Sam Corne’s penalty in first-half stoppage time saw off their League 1 opponents at a rocking Gallagher Stadium – earning £105,000 in prize money.

Maidstone, the lowest-ranked side left in the competition, weathered heavy second-half pressure against a team 69 places above them in the pyramid but were brilliant to a man.

The first half was played at a blistering pace, with neither side getting time to settle on the ball.

It was everything you’d want from a cup tie in terms of commitment and desire, with Maidstone competing magnificently against their League 1 opponents.

The first step was to negotiate the first 20 minutes against big, physical players, and Maidstone not only managed that - they looked the better side.

They were also awarded a surprisingly high number of free-kicks - the opposite of what you’d expect against a Football League side.

Jake Forster-Caskey put an early effort wide for the visitors after George Fowler headed clear from a cross but bar Lucas Covolan’s quick thinking to cut out Nick Freeman’s cross, that was their only half-chance of the first half.

Captain Gavin Hoyte forced a decent save with a header from Corne’s cross for the Stones.

Another Corne cross saw Lamar Reynolds, picked on the left of a front three, head wide at the back stick.

A Harry Kyprianou piledriver, from Sam Bone’s lay-off, was blocked by ex-Stones man Dan Sweeney as Maidstone continued to mix it with their EFL opponents.

United’s big moment came in added time when Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong was tripped in the box.

Referee Steve Martin pointed to the spot and Corne confidently beat Taye Ashby-Hammond for the opening goal.

Stevenage boss Steve Evans made a double change at the break - that told you everything - and they looked more of a threat.

Covolan saved well from top scorer Jamie Reid and Corne blocked a Carl Piergianni header from a corner on the line.

Midway through the half, Covolan saved the day in a one-on-one with Kane Hemmings following a swift counter-attack involving Jamie Reid and Ben Thompson.

Soon after, Maidstone-born Harvey White missed the target from Reid’s cut-back in the box.

Pressure continued to build with Reid hitting the bar and Hemmings’ follow-up striking the post.

Maidstone were somehow finding the energy to keep closing down Stevenage and defend their lead, feeding off a capacity crowd who were willing them over the line.

Maidstone: Covolan, Hoyte, Fowler, Greenidge, Kyprianou, Bone, Corne, Berkeley-Agyepong (Appiah 48mins), Sole (Ezennolim 66mins), Wanjau-Smith (Brown 79mins), Reynolds. Subs not used: Earle, Court, Smith, Iandolo, Kelly.

Stevenage: Ashby-Hammond, Wildin, Piergianni, Forster-Caskey (Burns 46mins), Freeman (MacDonald 79mins), Roberts, Vancooten, Reid, L Thompson (B Thompson 46mins), Hemmings (List 79mins). Subs not used: Kyran, Mitchell, Anderson, Pressley.

Referee: Steve Martin.

Attendance: 4,200.